Update messes up the system

[Flatron]

Hi,
This happened last week, but it pissed me off, so I didn't cared that. I installed the system from an alternate install disc (64 bit), and I made a full system update. While the update ran, A window popped up, and told meg, that the installation of a package failed, or it could harm other packets(I have a non-english system, it's just a translation, not the exact english message). As I saw the package currently updating was the linux-image. I rebooted the system, and after the grub, I got a black screen with a message: File not found.

I now installed the system again, probably I'll make a partition backup from windows, and then attemp to make a full update, but what could cause the problem?

[Teunis]

Re: Update messes up the system

Today I had a similar problem during the update of a Xubuntu system that I only use for monthly back ups.
In my case it did not cause a serious crash but when I did a new attempt at updating the missing file from earlier was found.

This was probably caused by temporary unavailability of the repositories server with this particular package.

What I want to say is there is a good chance this problem will not repeat itself.

But if it does you could report back here and the fine crowd here can probably show you an alternative route for repair, it is highly unusual that a Linux system needs a full new install

And a Linux install is a magnitude faster than with Windows 8)

[Flatron]

Re: Update messes up the system

The problem occured again, but not at the linux-image package, I had a lot of openoffice packages half-installed, I reinstalled them manually, and now it seems it works.

[dregorth]

Re: Update messes up the system

I came across the same issue today and so searching through the forums for error 15 brought up some results and this link helped:

http://kubuntuforums.net/forums/inde...1881#msg121881

The part in bold helped me get the system working again:

Another case for Error 15: Broken initrd file:
Both files listed in the kernel and initrd statements must actually be present in the /boot directory! In the above example, those two files are vmlinuz-2.6.22-14-generic and initrd.img-2.6.22-14-generic.
Especially after a major kernel update, it may happen that the files are changed somehow. It usually happens with the initrd file. For example, when you look in the /boot directory, you may not find the initrd generic file but only a backup file called, for example, initrd.img-2.6.22-14-generic.bak. In this case, here's a fix that may work:
> Using the Live Kubuntu CD, open Konsole and Open Konqueror as root by typing kdesu konqueror, access /boot, then rename the bak file to initrd.img-2.6.22-14-generic (right-click on the bak file then Rename then remove the extension .bak). Re-boot to test it.
> That solution often works. In the future, when getting another major kernel & initrd update, you may again have a problem booting; e.g., either Error 15 or a kernel panic. (It may happen because by simply removing the .bak extension, things might not all quite fit together, or hook-up, the way they should.) One possible fix for that, and also a fix you might try instead of simply renaming the initrd file (above, by removing .bak), is the following:

Suppose, as an example, that the broken Kubuntu is in partition sda2.
From the Live CD, chroot into the sda2 partition (see how-to note below).
Issue the following command:
sudo update-initramfs -u -v
and let it run and put things together & right for your initrd.

Chroot -- How-to
To chroot into sda2 from the Live Kubuntu CD at Konsole:
sudo mkdir /media/fixthings
sudo mount /dev/sda2 /media/fixthings
sudo chroot /media/fixthings
(Now you are “in” sda2 as root and can work from there as if you were actually booted into it.)

Hopefully this helps others that are having the same issue!